Great Inagua, and other things.

Thank you for your prayers. I have been so busy, I just can't tell you. Well, I can't tell you anyway--if you want to know Patmos, you have to experience it for yourself. And everyone's experience is deliberately unique, because God has a different calling for each of our lives.

Some of you may have been (understandably) quite concerned as you watch the news of Hurricanes Hannah and Ike. Well, blessings from the Lord, New Providence, the island on which I am staying these 16 weeks, was hardly touched by Hannah and completely ignored by Ike.

Right after Hurricane Ike, the idea was hatched to send us to Great Inagua, a huge southern Bahamas island that is only 50 miles from Cuba. It was devastated by Hurricane Ike, and Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, the primary supporting church for the Adventure Learning Centre, sent $10,000 for us to go help out in the relief efforts. But, in an effort to keep us from knowing what was planned for our future, we were all put on a "tech fast" to keep people from the church from telling us about it before we were supposed to find out. Surprise, surprise. This is Patmos.

We helped repair about ten roofs, cleaned up trash around the neighborhood, and continued our Patmos activities (though with some adjustments) during the ten days that we were there. Some of it was fun, some of it was irritating, and some of it was just plain hard. I can't give you any details (sorry), but, obviously, I survived it just fine. It was fun ripping the tin roof off of Mr. Cartwright's house, I must say. Even though Eddie fell through the ceiling. =) (He's fine.)

I was given the opportunity to minister to and witness to many people during that time. I came away wishing that I had brought a ton of Gospel tracts, but I think that would have been a bit distracting, especially since this school is more focused on my character and not my participation in openly Christian activities. True, that is a source of much frustration to me, but the Lord keeps me in the witnessing loop anyway. I may ask if we can print the Cyanide tract here. (Hmm...)

Now we have returned (actually about a week), but I've been really tired and busy, which is why I am just now updating. And I have a ton of homework to complete before the end of Sunday, because we won't have time Monday, because that is Discovery Day, here in the Bahamas, celebrating Columbus' discovery of San Salvador, a Bahamas island.

Please pray for me concerning Discovery Day. I'm being allowed to preach the Gospel to the people as part of the activities. Please pray for God to be glorified throughout. This is sort of what I'm used to, but this is a different culture entirely than I have ministered to before. None of my experiences so far have been negative (with regards to preaching), but I don't want to walk into what I know will be a spiritual battle unprepared. Thank you for lifting me up, and may God continue to bless you.